Hamster Kombat’s L2 Blockchain Sees 97.5% Drop in Transactions, Loses 1.2 Million Users

Hamster Kombat’s Layer-2 (L2) blockchain, which initially outperformed Solana in transactions per second (TPS), has experienced a dramatic decline in activity just two weeks after its launch. The Hamster Network, launched in February 2025, was initially positioned as a gaming-focused blockchain supporting decentralized applications (dApps) and games within its “Hamsterverse” gaming ecosystem.

At its peak, Hamster Kombat’s L2 network reached an all-time high of 34,021 TPS, surpassing Solana by 3.5 times. However, as of March 13, the L2 scaling solution is processing only 0.84 TPS, handling only 52,516 transactions in the past 24 hours. This represents a sharp decline from its launch-day peak of nearly 150 million transactions.

Beyond the sharp decline in activity, the network's clicker or tap-to-earn gameplay shows a noticeable drop in player counts. Hamster Kombat, which once had over 300 million monthly users, now struggles to maintain engagement. As of February 26, 2025, the game reported 11.5 million monthly players. However, that number has now fallen to 10.3 million—a loss of over 1.2 million users in just two weeks. Similarly, the number of new daily accounts is minimal, with only 12 created, reflecting the game’s lack of appeal.

Industry analysts suggest that much of the network’s early success was fueled by hype surrounding its crypto airdrops rather than sustained user interest. Many play-to-earn (P2E) and tap-to-earn games face difficulty retaining players once initial incentives fade, and Hamster Kombat appears to be no exception. The recent decline follows the conclusion of the “GameDev Heroes Combo,” a recurring in-game event with player incentives. User activity has dwindled without such rewards for players, raising concerns about the game’s ability to sustain long-term engagement.

Despite the setbacks, Hamster Kombat’s team insists that the L2 network is still in its early stages. They say it will undergo further stress tests to determine its full capabilities. Nevertheless, the dramatic transaction volume and player engagement downturn highlight the uncertainty surrounding the blockchain’s ability to revive its initial momentum. Similarly, whether developers and gamers will continue to see value in the platform remains to be seen.